LONG SERVICE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20167, 8 June 1928, Page 5

LONG SERVICE

LATE SIR JOHN HOCKING NOTABLE CAREER ENDS. Sir John Hosking, who died last week, had been one of the most useful public men in the Dominion for the last three or four years, in that his wealth of legal knowledge and wide experience have been brought to bear upon the serious problems that have arisen as an aftermath of the Great War.

When the difficulties contingent upon the moratorium declared at the commencement of the war had become acute it was he who, after his retirement from the Supreme Court Bench, was appointed by the Government under the Mortgages Final Extension Act, 1924, to make inquiries into the adjustments between mortgagees and mortgagors.

This work involved sittings throughout the Dominion extending over doveral months, and led to settlements that have been of tremendous benefit to the country. Again, he acted for some time as chairman of the War Pensions Appeal Board, which is still doing excellent work in inquiring into the intricate matters arising out of claims to pensions, the grounds for which have arisen out of latent disease that has only developed since the ex-soldiers have returned to their civil occupations. The Bank of New Zealand. Apart from the valuable service which he rendered while a member of the Bench, where he was as one of the soundest and most ►blc of New Zealand judges, Sir John also acted with Mr A. Mclntosh in 1913 as a Royal Commissioner to b.quire iLo the vorking of the Public Trust Office. Owing to his to his calling Sir John took comparatively little part in public affairs, although several movements in Dunedin owe much to his ability. He was entrusted »vith the. extremely difficult task of devising an.l framing the novel an 1 complicated legislation connected wici t f ie intervention of the State in the affairs of the Bank of New Zealand and the fulfihmnt of the task reflected on him the greatest credit. Ten Years a Judge. Born at Penzance, Cornwall, in 1854, Sir John Hosking ca. .e to New Zealand, with his parents as a child, and iccened his education in Auckland, where the family settled. At the age of 15 he was articled to the late Mr Samuel Jackson, of the firm of Jackson and Russell, one of the early legal firms of Auckland, and he was admitted to practise as a barrister and solicitor by Mr Justice Gillies in 1875. Shortly afterwards he removed to Dunedin, where in 1877 ho became a member of the firm of Kenyon and Husking, which was carried on until 1898. For the next 10 years ho practised alone after which he took in Mr John Cook* as partner. In 1907 he was appointed King’s Counsel and in 1914 was elevated to the Supreme Court Bench, where he sat until ill-health compelled him to consider his resignation. In 1924 he took a long holiday and visited England. On his return he announced his impending retiremeul, but was prevailed upon to continue occupying his seat on the Supreme Court Bench in order to deal v/ith applications arising out of the Mortgages Final Extension Act. Health of Women and Children. Sir John retired early in 1925. and his long record of service on the Bench was recognised by the King in conferring on him the honour of Knight Bachelor in the birthday list of that year. Sir John and Lady Hosking took a prominent part in the affairs of the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children (the Plunket Society), from the formation in 1907, Lady Hosking being ths first president of the organisation in Dunedin. Lady Hosking is now president of the Wellington branch. In addition to giving assistance in an advisory capacity in the framing of rules and in other ways, Sir John was a regular attendant, with Lady Hosking, at the annual meetings of the society. Sir John leaves one daughter, Mrs Dundas Allan, of Sydney, who is at present in New Zealand, and two sons, Mr John Hosking, who is at a university in Holland, and Mr Christopher Hosking, who is farming in Canterbury.